Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

Say hwat?! 'Anxious' versus 'eager.' Pink stein.

Aug 29, 2023

Join linguistics professor and author Valerie Fridland as she discusses the evolution of discourse markers in English from Beowulf's time to today. Discover how people's perceptions of using 'anxious' to mean 'eager' are changing and how this impacts your writing.

14:24

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Valerie Fridland

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Quick takeaways

Discourse markers have evolved throughout the history of the English language, serving as subtle clues and connectors in communication.

The interchangeability of 'anxious' and 'eager' to express enthusiasm is changing, influenced by linguistic and cultural factors.

Deep dives

The Evolution of Discourse Markers

Discourse markers, such as 'well' and 'anyway', have been used in the English language for centuries. They serve as subtle clues about intentions and help connect sentences. Examples of old English discourse markers include 'what', which expressed surprise, and 'THA', a precursor to 'then'. Middle English introduced markers like 'anone' and 'I mean', while early modern English saw the use of 'prithy' and 'mary'. Familiar modern markers like 'right' and 'actually' emerged later. These markers have a long history of helping communication flow and indicate important shifts.

Introduction

5min

Evolution of Discourse Markers in English History

4min

The Importance of Discourse Markers and an Advertisement for I-XL Online Learning Program

2min

The Difference Between 'Anxious' and 'Eager'

5min

Anxious vs Eager

3min

943. Join us for a fascinating romp through the evolution of phrases like "you know," "right?" and "I mean" from Beowulf's time to today. Plus, we look at how people's feelings about using "anxious" to mean "eager" are changing, and how that can affect your writing.

The discourse marker segment was written by Valerie Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada in Reno and the author of "Like Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English." You can find her at valeriefridland.com

| Transcript: https://grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/anxious-eager

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